Mitsubishi Recalls 400,000 in Japan

TOKYO, June 21 Reuters reported that Mitsubishi Motors Corp said today it will recall 400,000 vehicles in Japan due to a faulty part that could cause the engine to halt when the vehicle is not moving.

The recall for Japan's fourth-largest automaker, 37.3 percent owned by the German-U.S. auto giant DaimlerChrysler AG <DCX.N> <DCXGn.DE>, will fall under the category of a "service campaign", a Mitsubishi spokesman said.

A service campaign indicates that the problem is not of sufficient magnitude to warrant notice of a formal recall to Japan's Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry.

The recall covers seven types of models including the Legnum and Galant sedans as well as its Dion minivan and is expected to cost around two billion yen ($16.2 million).

Mitsubishi said some vehicles with the potential problem were exported, mainly to Europe and that it was still considering what measures to take there.

It is normal for automakers to have some recalls each year, but Mitsubishi, still working to overcome an embarrassing customer complaints scandal two years ago, has stepped up the number of recalls in a bid to build a reputation for quality.